


Scenes from an Italian Restaurant

by RobinDesBois



Category: Pride and Prejudice, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Genre: F/M, Kink, Mild BDSM
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:14:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 15,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23403598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobinDesBois/pseuds/RobinDesBois
Summary: Short, largely explicit scenes from William Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet's relationship based on Billy Joel's Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.  Part of P and P (and related media) stories titled "If Music Be."
Relationships: Lizzie Bennet/William Darcy
Comments: 9
Kudos: 63





	1. Chapter 1

A Bottle of White

At the end of Lizzie Bennet’s first week in San Francisco, William Darcy insisted on taking her to his favorite Italian place in the city to celebrate their reunion. Lizzie’s idea had been pizza so they could keep unpacking, but William was persistent in his belief that they needed both a celebration and a break from setting up her new apartment.

This is how Lizzie Bennet came to find herself in a small Italian restaurant she wouldn’t have been able to afford without William if she’d saved for a year.

“Lizzie, is there anything in particular you’re hungry for tonight?” William asked.

“Not specifically, no, but it all looks delicious. Why do you ask?” 

“I’m attempting to make a wine selection, and I want it to pair well with your entree.”

“Is that a real thing? I thought they made it up for TV.”

“White goes with chicken, fish, cream and oil based sauces, light cheeses and fruits, and bread, generally. Red goes with beef, pork, tomato based sauces, heavier cheeses, roasted vegetables, and tomato or beef based soups. They both go well with desserts. Rose is more for salads or light meals, perhaps snacks. Champaign is for toasting and celebrations, which I suppose this is. Would you like some champaign?” With the question, William finally looked up from the wine list to see Lizzie staring at him with her eyes wide. 

“I had no idea there were so many rules to this. I’m not sure I belong here, William.” Lizzie was starting to feel like she should’ve insisted on the pizza just to stay in her comfort zone.

“Elizabeth Bennet, you belong here as much as anyone else. You’ve moved to a new city and started a company. Let me treat you to one thing. Don’t worry about the wine--pick an entree, and I will build the rest of the meal around it. And don’t look at the prices, Lizzie, just enjoy yourself.” William felt better as Lizzie visibly relaxed; they were still getting used to each other, and it was going to take them both awhile to adjust to how the other perceived finances.

Eventually, Lizzie decided on a pasta of Cavatelli followed with the Market Fish entree. William paired this with Ramini Buffalo Mozzarella for the antipasta. Lizzie insisted she would not be able to eat this AND the insalata course, so he omitted it. He ordered himself the exact same meal and paired it with a bottle of Carricante. 

“So...how did you come to know so much about wine, William?” 

“My parents were collectors. The Carricante is a Sicilian wine, this is the only place I know in the area that stocks it. It happens to be my favorite, as well. I’ve never seen anything as beautiful as the vineyards where it’s grown. That is, I hadn’t until very recently.” William gazed across the table as a bush creeped up Lizzie’s face. He leaned closer and spoke softly, “Perhaps, if you like it, I can take you to see it yourself.” 

Lizzie laughed, “If you want to take me to Italy, please don’t let my taste in wine be a factor in the decision.”

“Really? When would you like to go?” She so rarely let him do things like this, let him treat her the way he was capable of, showering her with what he thought she deserved.

“Um, in like three years, when I can afford to leave my business for more than two days?” She was tensing again--he had missed her teasing tone; but he was learning, and he was becoming capable of teasing back.

“Noted for future reference.” He smiled, and she relaxed again, and he unconsciously released his breath.

Their meals arrived, and Lizzie found that she may not know much about wine, but she did know she liked Carricante. She thought it paired perfectly with everything they were brought, but readily admitted she wouldn’t truly know the difference if it hadn’t.

“Perhaps I can teach you about wine, Lizzie. The Napa Valley is only about an hour and a half from here.”

“That actually sounds delightful.” 

Over dinner, the conversation flowed delightfully, Lizzie and Darcy finding substantial overlapping interests and opinions, and quite a bit of dissent to converse over. She learned that his favorite color had been blue until about six months before they started dating, and has since changed to green. He learned her favorite book was Jane Eyre, but she had first read it because it was mentioned in her favorite series in high school, The Princess Diaries. She learned that his favorite movie was The Breakfast Club, which she wouldn’t have ever been able to guess. He learned that wine added a slight blush to her cheeks, which he found extremely charming.

After they had finished the last course of their meal, William insisted that Lizzie had to try the dessert at this restaurant. There was one in particular he was sure she would like, triple chocolate cake, topped with strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and pomegranate. From the first, bite, Lizzie was certain she’d died and gone to heaven. William let her eat most of the shared slice, finding more joy in watching her light up with every bite than in the taste. After the last crumb was consumed, she drained the last of the wine from her glass as William got the check. 

Lizzie was feeling warm and happy when they were finally ready to return to her small apartment. So happy that she didn’t notice the slight wobble in her walk when they left the table, but fortunately William did. Without a word, he slid an arm around her waist, ensuring she didn’t lose her balance. 

Lizzie relaxed into William’s shoulder, and found that she could feel the muscles of his arm and torso through the fabric of his jacket. The blush she had gained from the wine deepened a little as she looked up at him. 

“Let’s go home, Will.”

By the time they returned to Lizzie’s small apartment, William had concluded they weren’t getting anything else done that night; Lizzie’s hand had been slowly working its way up his thigh for the entirety of the short ride home. As soon as they entered the apartment, she had turned in his arms and pressed her lips to his, pulling him down by his tie; when they came up for air, she still had his tie in her hand. A slow smile crept up Lizzie’s face, and she took a small step backwards towards her bedroom.

“Remember this morning, when you thought we should set up the bathroom first, not the bedroom?” She asked, a sparkle lighting her eyes.

“Yes,” he responded breathlessly.

“I think it’s time to prove I was right.” 

With that, Lizzie turned around and pulled William to her room by his tie. As soon as she released his tie, he leaned towards her face to kiss her again, but she held up a finger between them.

She pushed him back onto the bed and climbed on top of him, her skirt bunching around her thighs; he placed a hand on her knee and began to slowly slide it along her leg. William didn’t get very far with his exploration before Lizzie had captured both of his wrists and pinned them above his head. They both knew perfectly well that he could have taken the control back from her at any moment if he had so chosen, but she could tell by his reaction underneath her that he was unopposed to her actions. She caught his eyes as she bit his lip and began to grind her hips in the same moment, and was gratified by his gasp of pleasure, but noticed he pushed slightly against her hands holding him down.

“Will,” Lizzie whispered, “I want to have control of you...I want to be in charge for the night, I want to tie you to this bed. But only if you want it, too.”

“Yes,” William answered breathlessly, bringing a smile to Lizzie’s face. She shifted both of his wrists to her left hand and teasingly ran her finger tips down his arm, then loosened his tie and slid it over his head. She used the preexisting loop to tie his wrists together and the remaining ends to connect him to her headboard, the whole time feeling his increasing arousal beneath her.

“Lizzie, kiss me,” William whispered. She leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek while beginning to work on the buttons of his shirt. 

“Kiss my mouth.”

“No.” Lizzie was rewarded by the sound of the bed frame shifting as he pulled at his bindings. She suddenly grabbed both sides of his shirt and pulled, buttons flying. “Don’t worry, Will, I can put those all back on. Later.” 

William tried instinctively to sit up and kiss her, falling back quickly when his bindings stopped him. “Please, Lizzie, I need to feel your mouth on mine.”

“I need to hear you beg for it some more.”

“Please, Lizzie, I need you. Please, kiss me, please. I’ll do whatever you want.”

“Whatever I want?”

“Anything, just let me taste your mouth, please,” he nearly shouted.

“You may regret that,” she kissed him briefly, but passionately.

“More, please, Lizzie. More.”

“No. It’s my turn now.”

Lizzie reached down and slowly unzipped his jeans, noting his panting as her hand brushed his erection. She slid his pants and boxers down just enough to release him, then waited for him to look her in the eye before she bent her head low and lightly licked the tip of his cock. She smiled as he groaned and pulled at his bindings again.

“Lizzie, do that again.”

“No. I told you, it’s my turn. Remember how you said you’d give me anything I want?”

“Yes.”

“I want you to hold off. Don’t come without my permission. I’m going to use you for my pleasure.”

“Y-yes.”

“Good.” Lizzie stood up and slipped her hands up her skirt, pulling off her panties before climbing back onto William. She slowly lowered herself onto him, involuntarily moaning as he filled her. She saw his muscles flex as he fought against his looming climax. He reached up to the knot holding him to her bed and gripped it like a lifeboat; he was grateful he had, it allowed him to focus and watch her as Lizzie rocked back and forth on him, bringing herself over the edge twice. He couldn’t remember ever seeing anything so beautiful before, and it tortured him as much as it enthralled him. 

“Lizzie, please, I can’t hold on much more. Please, please can I come. Please,” he begged, fully expecting her to deny his pleas. 

“Yes.” 

As soon as the permission left her mouth he was rocking his hips in sync with hers, and it only took him seconds to release himself into her. She collapsed against his chest for a few moments before reaching up and releasing his wrists. As soon as he had control of his hands, they were in her hair, his mouth was on hers, kissing her passionately.

“That good, huh?” she asked, eyes sparking again.

“That good. You?”

“Let’s just say we’re ordering Carricante again.” He kissed her forehead as they drifted off to sleep together.


	2. A Bottle of Red

A Bottle of Red  
The second time Lizzie and William went to their Italian restaurant was in October of the same year; he had tried several times to take her, but she was determined that it was too expensive for them to do for anything but a special occasion. Her practicality was no match for William’s ability to create a special occasion, however.   
The night before, William had asked Lizzie over to his apartment for dinner and a movie, and she had gladly accepted. He had insisted that she select the movie while he ordered takeout, and she couldn’t resist seeing his reaction to Ever After, a film she had loved since she was twelve years old, but had to assume was left in his possession by Gigi. If he was surprised at her selection, he said nothing.  
The Chinese arrived when Danielle and Henry were roaming the monastery's library, and William returned laden with food just in time to notice that Lizzie was mouthing along with the movie--”I could no sooner choose a favorite star in the heavens.” She looked up at him and smiled when she heard his soft laugh behind her.  
“What?” She demanded.  
“Nothing. Nothing at all.” He smiled at her as he put the food on the coffee table and sat beside her on the couch. “I ordered something a little special tonight, Lizzie.”  
“Honey walnut shrimp?” Lizzie practically jumped.  
“No, something just as special that I hope will make you almost as excited.”  
Darcy leaned forward and grabbed a small rice container from the coffee table and handed it to Lizzie, who squinted at him as if trying to determine if he was up to something.  
“Open it,” he whispered. Slowly, with the occasional glance at his still smiling face, she opened the box to find not white rice, but a key.  
“Move in with me, Lizzie Bennet?” he asked, barely above a whisper; she could see the nervousness in his eyes.   
“Yes, yes, yes, William Darcy, yes!” Lizzie practically leapt into his lap, kissing him with all the excitement and joy she felt at this new stage in their relationship.  
“Thank God, I thought maybe I had wasted all that money having that key made.” Lizzie lightly smacked his chest as his arms tightened around her waist, and she remained in his lap, curled against his chest for the rest of the film. When Henry kissed Danielle for the first time, William couldn’t resist the urge to do the same with the woman in his arms. Lizzie watched his face as Henry announced his plans to start the university to his parents, wondering if he found it similar to his ambitions at Pemberley. They both laughed when the baroness and Marguerite fell into the pool of dye, and they couldn’t resist another kiss as the narrator said, “While Cinderella and her prince did live happily ever after, the point, gentlemen, is that they lived.”

The actual trip to their restaurant occurred the next evening, after they had spent the entire day packing up her small apartment. Small though it was, she had filled a large part of it with books, and it was no easy task getting them organized the way she desired. There were still quite a few things left to do, but much like when they moved her in, William insisted that they needed to take a break and have a celebration.  
This time when they arrived, they were seated on a small patio near a fire pit that gave a wonderfully romantic glow. He had rigatina with a small salad, she had polpette with roasted squash. They shared not one but two bottles of Rosso di Cantrada, which she enjoyed, but found far headier than Carricante, but just as delightful. He told her about its similar Sicilian origins, telling her about a few vineyards he wished to take her to the moment she gave him permission to whisk her away. After much debate over whether they should split a slice of the tiramisu or the fruity chocolate cake, William took charge and ordered both, ostensibly so that they could determine which paired better with the Rosso di Contrada for the next time they ordered it. By the time they reached the end of the second bottle of Rosso di Contrada, he was no longer eating dessert, distracted from it by kissing the back of her hand, her knuckles, the tip of every finger, her palm…  
When the check came, William shifted Lizzie’s fingers between his own and ordered an uber while waiting for the server to return with his card. When he looked back up at her, he realized that the wine had shaded her lips a darker hue than their customary pink, and he couldn’t help but wonder how the wine paired with the flavor of her mouth. Without warning, leaned forward and kissed her thoroughly. By the time he pulled back, she was gasping for air, and his phone was pinging the arrival of their ride home. 

When they returned to his, no, their, apartment, William was still thinking of how well the fruit flavors in the red wine paired with the sweet taste of Lizzie. He kissed her again in the elevator on the way up, and it was only his determination to make sure she knew how much he loved and wanted her in his home that stopped him from trying to make love with her in the elevator.  
The moment the elevator doors opened, William bent down and swept Lizzie off her feet and into his arms; he carried her through the door, kicking it closed behind him. She kicked off her shoes as he carried her to the bedroom, laying her on the bed and placing himself above her.  
Willaim didn’t think he’d ever seen anything more beautiful than Lizzie Bennet smiling up at him, her red hair splayed around her like a halo of fire, her eyes darkened with wine and lust. The vineyards of Italy, the art of France, the mountains of Aspen, even when she had tied him to the bed and climbed on top of him--none of it had a fraction of what he was seeing in that moment. When she shyly bit her lip, he made his decision; she had taken charge the night she moved into her apartment, the first time they’d gone to their Italian restaurant. Tonight would be his turn.  
“Lizzie,” he whispered breathlessly, his body already responding to how closed they were pressed together.  
“William,” she smiled back.  
“Lizzie, I want you so badly right now. I want to take charge of you the way you took charge of me that night a few months ago.”   
“Yes, yes. William, yes.”   
With that, one of William’s hands was in her hair, bending her head back to expose her neck to his teeth. He heard her moan in his ear and growled in response. His hands shifted from her fiery hair to her wrists, so small in his large hands. He pulled back to look at her before pinning her wrists above her head, borrowing from her bag of tricks and grinding his erection against her. He almost lost his self control at the quiet whimper that escaped her throat, but held back.   
William released her just long enough to completely remove his tie, which he then tied securely around one of her small wrists, then looped around one of the bars on his metal bed frame. He used the middle section of the tie to secure her other wrist, then used the remaining fabric to bind her wrists together.   
“Now that I have you tied to my bed, Lizzie, what shall I do with you?” He whispered.  
Her response was to whimper again, arching her hips towards him.  
“I think I like you like this, Lizzie Bennet. Surrendering control to me, letting me take care of you, letting me tease you.” He tilted her chin up, using his thumb to open her mouth slightly before kissing her, gently caressing her breast with his other hand. He slipped his hand into her hair and shifted the other from her breast to the top button of her shirt, slowly teasing it open, delighted with the black lace bra he found, kissing down her breastbone with every inch of skin he exposed. When he arrived at the waist of her jeans, he swiftly unbuttoned them and pulled them over her hips, excited to find that her underwear matched the soft lace covering her breasts. He threw her jeans to the floor next to the bed settled himself between her thighs for another slow, teasing kiss. He pulled back slightly before he wanted to, knowing how it would tease Lizzie. He waited until he saw she was watching him to slowly remove his suspenders, opening his shirt to expose the hard planes of muscle he knew she admired so. He threw his shirt on the floor to join her jeans, then smiled as he slipped his fingers into the band of her underwear.  
“I believe, Lizzie Bennet,” he whispered gruffly, “it’s time to show you what I know about teasing.”  
William pulled her underwear off one tantalizing inch at a time, running his fingers, his lips, his tongue, and occasionally his teeth down both of her legs. She almost screamed for the sheer pleasure of it. He tossed the small scrap of black fabric on the floor, then tossed her legs over his shoulders. He slowly ran his tongue over her slit, hearing her transition from a soft moan of pleasure to a full scream of his name as he flicked his tongue over her clit several times in quick succession.   
“Don’t come without my permission, Lizzie.”  
“Yes. Yes, William.” She gasped.  
He bent his head back down and recommenced running his tongue over her, enjoying the way the flavor of pure Lizzie mingled with the taste of her mouth and the lingering feeling and taste of his share of the red wine. It was only a few minutes before Lizzie was begging him to let her come between moans. He found he didn’t have the strength to deny her for very long, and by her third cry of “Please, William, please,” he growled his permission and slipped a finger into her so that he could watch her face as she came for him.   
Lizzie felt as if a dam was bursting inside her; holding back for William had forced her to new heights she hadn’t known she was capable of reaching. Letting him have control allowed her to let go, let someone else decide. She loved him, she loved what they were doing. When she finally came, it was with a scream so loud of his name that she was certain someone else in the building must’ve heard it, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.   
As Lizzie slowly came down from her climax, William tossed his pants into the pile of laundry accumulating on the floor and placed himself on top of her, waiting for her to return to earth before entering her.  
“Come again, my darling Lizzie,” he whispered before sliding into her and thrusting roughly. It took only minutes for them to climax together.  
William released Lizzie’s wrists from his headboard, and she was quick to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him long and hard.  
“You enjoyed that, I take it.”   
“I loved it. Almost as much as I love you. Did you like it?  
“Lizzie, darling, you pair very well with red wine.” She laughed as he pulled her against his side and they drifted off to sleep together.  
Together in a bed that was now neither his nor hers, but exclusively theirs.


	3. Perhaps a bottle of Rose, instead

Perhaps a bottle of Rose, Instead  
For William’s birthday that November, Lizzie threw him a surprise party.  
Yes, of course, she was well aware that he did not generally enjoy parties, but she was also aware that having Gigi and Fitz set up dinner and get Jane and Charlie from the airport while she keeps him distracted and out of the house for the afternoon doesn’t really count as a party.  
That’s how they found themselves eating a late lunch at their Italian restaurant. He was right about rosé, it paired perfectly with her salad, his sandwich, and the trifle they shared for dessert. It was also a lower proof, which was beneficial to keeping them sober enough to stay out for the afternoon, but still made them feel delightfully bubbly.  
“So, William, what would you like to do next?” Asked Lizzie while they waited for the check.  
“Library.”  
“You want to spend your birthday...at the library.”  
“Yes, I do.”  
“Okay, then. Your day.” Lizzie moved quickly and snatched the check as soon as it was set down, for once she was going to treat.  
“Really, Lizzie, I can pay, I don’t ca--”   
“I know you don’t, but it’s your birthday. Let me do this for you.”

After she had paid the bill, they began to walk the short way to the nearest library branch, which happened to be the largest, most stunning of its kind that Lizzie had ever seen.  
William, having been there before, was less overwhelmed. He spoke to the librarian for a moment, then gently led Lizzie through the quiet rooms as she looked around in amazement. He pulled her into a small room off to the side, and she tried not to notice the sign that read “George Darcy Memorial Reading Room.” He closed and locked the door behind them.  
“William, how did you get the key to that door?”  
“It’s a huge library, they let you sign out study rooms in half hour blocks. We’ve got an hour and a half in here.” He smirked as he pulled her close to him. “Besides, I’ve wanted to bring you alone to this room since the first time we danced.”  
“That’s,” she gasped as she felt his teeth lightly bite into her neck, “That’s really specific.”  
“Perhaps. But the walls here are sound proof, and having donated the room gives me...certain privileges.” He reached down and easily lifted Lizzie’s legs around his waist and kissed her thoroughly backed her into the shelf of books behind her. He moaned and pulled at the realization that she wasn’t wearing underwear.   
“Happy birthday,” she whispered, and he kissed her even harder. With his hands occupied supporting her weight, she slid her arms down between them and released him from the confines of his pants. He was in her in a moment, and she was moaning against him in minutes. He bit into her shoulder to muffle moans of her name as he came, not entirely confident in the library’s capacity to contain his pleasure.  
William refastened his pants and sat down in the soft leather chair while Lizzie straightened her skirt, then settled in his lap. They had the reservation of the room for an hour and a half, the maximum time allowed by the library, and had only managed to fill 15 minutes of it. Fortunately, William wasn’t out of ideas to fill their time.  
“I’ve wanted to do this for a while, too,” he whispered, reaching to the shelf behind her and grabbing Anna Kerenina. They took turns reading aloud to one another.  
William didn’t even look at the page when he read, “They've got no idea what happiness is, they don't know that without this love there is no happiness or unhappiness for us--there is no life.”  
They decided that the library and the George Darcy Memorial Reading room would become a birthday tradition.


	4. We'll Get a Table Near the Street

The fourth time Lizzie and William went to their Italian restaurant wasn’t until Lizzie’s birthday, which could also be their anniversary, depending on whose calendar you checked.

Lizzie woke that St. Patrick’s day, which conveniently fell on a Saturday, to find their bed empty and a large bouquet of yellow on her bedside table. She found a note tucked into them.

“Dear Lizzie,  
Yellow roses symbolize friendship and joy. At one point in our lives together, I didn’t think I could convince you even to pursue friendship with me. Now, you’re my primary joy.  
I love you,  
William Darcy”

Lizzie smiled as she slipped out of bed and walked towards the bathroom, where she found a large bouquet of light and dark pink roses on the counter. She laughed as she realized what was likely happening -- William had filled the apartment with roses.

This time, the note read:

“Dear Lizzie,  
Light pink roses symbolize admiration and happiness. I have never admired someone as much as I do you. Your independence, your tenacity, your passion. The dark pink rose symbolizes gratitude and appreciation. Having someone like you in my life, someone as creative and brilliant as you...I can’t begin to express my gratitude and appreciation.  
Pink roses also have the effect of reminding me of the shade your cheeks take on when we make love.   
I love you,  
William Darcy.”

Lizzie brushed her teeth and hair quickly before running downstairs to kiss her boyfriend.

She found him making pancakes and standing next to a vase of orange roses. She ignored them, slipping in front of William to kiss him soundly.

“And happy birthday to you,” he smiled.  
'  
“It’s been great so far.”

“You like the flowers?”

“I love them. And I love you.” William leaned down and kissed her briefly.

“Why don’t you read the next note so I don’t burn the pancakes?”

“Fine. But only because I’m hungry.”

The note with the orange roses read:  
“Dear Lizzie,  
Orange roses symbolize enthusiasm and desire, passion and excitement. There’s not a better example of this than every minute I’m with you. When you talk about work, when you read, when you dance. You do everything with passion, you make me excited for life again.   
They also remind me of your beautiful hair.  
I love you,  
William Darcy.”

“Hey, William?”

“Yes, Lizzie?”

“Have I told you I love you yet today?”

“No, I don’t think you have.” 

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.” William finished transferring the pancakes to their plates and kissed her again. “Let’s eat, my love.”

In the dining room, Lizzie found yet another bouquet. This time, the roses were shades of purple. Lizzie grabbed the note before starting to eat her pancakes.

“Dear Lizzie,   
Purple roses symbolize enchantment and desire. Your eyes, I remain convinced, are the greatest enchantment the world has to offer. They seem to hold the fire of a thousand sunsets, the sparkle of every star, and the depth of every ocean. I want you every moment of every day.  
I love you,  
William Darcy”

When she looked up, William was blushing and studying his pancakes.

“Hey, William.” 

“Yes, Lizzie?”

“It’s only nine-thirty in the morning, and today’s already the best birthday I’ve ever had.”

William blushed a little harder, but she saw him smile.

“I’m glad. I just want to make sure that you know...that I love you. How much I love you.” 

“If I didn’t before, I’m sure I do now.” She smiled and ate her pancakes.

After breakfast, William told her she still had two bouquets to find. 

“Seriously, William? How much did you spend on these flowers?”

“Don’t worry about that. Just enjoy them. And know I would spend a lot more on you if I thought you would let me.” 

Lizzie got dressed, then continued searching. She found the fifth bouquet, red roses, in their living room.  
“Dear Lizzie,   
Red roses symbolize romantic love, enduring passion, and the creative spirit of love. I may not be the most romantic man in the world, my Lizzie, but before you, I never had any reason to try to be. I do possess an enduring passion for you--a passion that will outlast the stars in the sky. I tried to be creative today, filling our home with roses. As I placed them, I realized that you fill this house with passion and love more than any number of flowers could, even when you aren’t in the room.  
I love you,  
William Darcy”

Lizzie found the last roses on the table they kept near the door, usually the home of their keys. 

“Dear Lizzie,   
I hope you find these flowers last. They might be the most important of them all. White roses symbolize purity and loyalty. What I feel for you is so pure, so strong, I’ve never been more confident in anything than I am about how I feel for you. You have my love, my loyalty, forever.  
I love you,  
William Darcy” 

Lizzie only just managed to hold back the tears. They were on their way out of the house, leaving going for a long walk in the park and then to their Italian restaurant, and she didn’t want to get her face all red and blotchy. It was a close thing.

“Shall we go? I got us a reservation on the patio.” Darcy asked, wrapping his hands around her waist and kissing her shoulder. 

“Yes,” she whispered, and stepped out of her hands to grab her jacket.

William pulled his jacket on, making sure the small jewelry box he’d gotten from the safety deposit box was still safely ensconced in his pocket.

He hadn’t included in the note that white roses are also referred to as “the bridal rose.”


	5. In Our Old, Familiar Place

William had made a lunch reservation for Lizzie’s birthday, on the patio near the sidewalk, and had given the restaurant a large check to keep the patio private for the early afternoon. In an attempt to calm his nerves, he had planned every detail he could. He had had a special bouquet containing every color of roses placed on the table, he had pre-ordered every dessert on the menu to celebrate, and had a bottle of Cristal Brut champagne brought in from Italy, since the restaurant typically didn’t carry anything that high end. He had his speech memorized, and a copy in his pocket in case his words escaped him. He’d had the ring cleaned, he’d had a long call with her father that had gone more smoothly than he anticipated.

When William and Lizzie arrived at the restaurant, he ensured that he held every door for her, and pulled out her chair as she exclaimed over the roses. He smiled, kissed her cheek, and poured them each a glass of champagne.

“I can see I’m going to have to up my game for your next birthday, William,” said Lizzie with mirth. He smiled and assured her it wasn’t a competition.

Lizzie had the most delicious roast chicken she had ever tasted, with a side of potatoes flavored with pepper and a bit of lemon, proud to have made a good pairing with   
William’s wine selection without any assistance. William had no idea what he ate.

When their waiter arrived with the selection of desserts, William took a deep breath, reached into his pocket, and…

“Will! Lizzie!” Gigi. For the first time in his life, William was not happy to see his sister, with Fitz in tow. Lizzie was ecstatic, and jumped up to hug both of them.

“You have to sit with us, William ordered way too much dessert.” William’s chin disappeared into his neck.

The four of them--well, the three of them, William ate no more than a single bite per plate--split the five desserts. Gigi and Fitz insisted on a raucous rendition of “Happy Birthday,” then Lizzie excused herself to go to the bathroom.

“Alright, Will, what’s wrong?” Gigi demanded as soon as Lizzie was out of sight.

“I wouldn’t know to what you are referring.”

“Will. You’re pale, your chin is practically invisible, and you barely ate. You actually look a bit like you’re going to throw up, are you ill?” 

“No, I’m fine, it’s...the food is…” 

“Oh my God, you were going to propose!”

“What? No, I have...it’s her birthday, and…” 

“And your anniversary and the most romantic restaurant in five miles and you were going to propose! You have Mom’s ring, right? Oh my God, she’s going to love it. What are you going to say?”

“You mean, what was I going to say, before two more people sat down on this private patio?”

“Oh no, we didn’t.” Gigi looked horrified.

“Hey, Gigi D., maybe we better go.” Fitz supplied as Lizzie walked back out to their table.

“No, you can’t leave now! William promised me a trip to the largest bookstore in San Francisco.”

“No, really, Lizzie, we should go, you don’t want us ruining your day. Two’s company and all,” Gigi tried to escape, to let her brother and Lizzie have their moment, but Lizzie was insistent.

And so the four of them found themselves walking into a converted factory stacked floor to ceiling with more books than Lizzie had ever imagined could fit in one place. 

“What do you think, Lizzie?” William whispered in her ear, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“You know that part in Beauty and the Beast where the Beast gives Belle the library?”

“Thanks to Gigi, I actually do.”

“That’s my favorite part. And I think you just made it happen in real life. Thank you.” 

“Happy birthday, Lizzie. Get whatever you like, and don’t look at the price tags.”


	6. Chapter 6

The morning after Lizzy’s birthday, she woke up before he did. She hated waking up, but she did love the unguarded moments when he was still asleep. He never looked so relaxed and vulnerable awake, and from her vantage point on his chest, she couldn’t think of a better view in the world.

Her moment was short-lived, but not missed. William woke a few minutes after she did, tightened his arms around her and pressed his mouth very firmly to hers.

“And happy anniversary to YOU!” Laughed Lizzie when he released her. William gave her a quizzical look. 

“Today’s not our anniversary.”

“It is if you start with the full day. Besides, I refuse to let you make our anniversary about just me, it’s supposed to be about us. And I know you well enough to know that attempting to share my birthday with our anniversary would be utterly pointless,” she smirked.

“True,” he admitted, kissing her on the forehead.

“I have a present for you,” she whispered as his kisses trailed from her forehead down to her collar bone.

“Can it wait?” 

“Not really.”

“Alright, you’ve piqued my curiosity. I’ll let you up just long enough to go get it.”

“Oh, but I don’t have to go get it. It’s right here.”

“You’re still naked from last night, so I doubt it’s new lingerie.”

“No, but you’re not far off. My gift to you is that today I would like you to tell me one of your fantasies so I can make it come true.” 

William blinked a few times, then reached up and kissed her with all the passion he couldn’t quite verbalize.

“Do you have something in mind already,” Lizzie laughed, “Or would you like to think about it for a little while?” William briefly toyed with the idea of telling her he had a fantasy of getting engaged and getting his mother’s ring out of the night stand, but rejected it as not quite the style of romance he wanted to be telling his kids and grandkids about one day.

He settled on something else.

“I do have this one idea that might be…a little odd.” William’s chin drew back into his neck.

“Anything you want, William, it’s your day.”

“You’re sure?”

“Would I say I was if I wasn’t?”

“Very well, I have this...fantasy. About you...bossing me around.” 

“Bossing you around how? Like, having you cook and clean? Because that would be a little strange.” 

“It’s a bit more...intimate than that. More like taking direct care of you, things like drawing you a bubble bath, for instance, then helping you bathe.” 

“William, are you trying to tell me you have a fantasy about being my slave?” His chin drew the rest of the way into his neck.

“I might be.”

“I think we might be able to arrange that.”

“Well, Lizzy, that actually ties in perfectly with my anniversary gift to you.”

“Oh, I have so many follow up questions to that statement,” she called after him as he walked into the closet for a moment, and returned with a spa gift basket. 

“Wow,” whispered Lizzie, pulling off the bow tying the cellophane in place. It fell off to reveal the largest assortment of bath materials she had ever seen. “And here I thought I was going to be the gifting champion of the day.”

“It’s not a competition,” he laughed. “Besides, I could’ve gotten you ten of these and it still wouldn’t show you how excited I am for my present.”   
Lizzie blushed as she started to pull things out of the basket. She found multiple candles, assorted bath bombs, a sugar scrub, two kinds of lotion--one with whole flowers in it--bath salts, bubble bath, bath oil, a box of chocolates, and a face mask.

“Are you trying to spoil me?” she laughed.

“Yes.” His face betrayed absolute seriousness. She blushed again.

“Hey, hold on. I thought you thought our anniversary was yesterday?”

“I also saw your little plan coming,” he said, leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

“I think the people at the store saw you coming.” Lizzie smiled again and resumed their kiss.

Lizzie and Darcy decided to go to their Italian restaurant for lunch that day, and a long walk after, since the weather was on their side and they had no particular obligations. They ended up walking to the Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden, which was at the peak of its bloom for the year. Lizzie had never seen anything so exquisite, and William found that, despite all the time he’d spent there since childhood, the flowers were new-dyed with Lizzie’s smile.

As he watched Lizzie slowly turn and look at the stunning flowers blooming in full force around her, William slipped a hand into the pocket of his jacket, knowing that the Darcy family ring was still there. Following Lizzie’s dancing steps as she took photos with her phone, he screwed his courage to the sticking place once again.

“Lizzie,” he began as she climbed onto one of the benches to get an aerial shot of one of the flower beds. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Will--”

William wasn’t fast enough. When she lost her balance, when her feet slid out from under her and she crashed onto the sidewalk with a sickening “thunk” that struck him immediately as too loud. He wasn’t fast enough to catch her before her leg broke, before her head hit the bench. 

The ambulance took them to the UCSF emergency room, and the nurses took her back immediately. They did not let Darcy back with her.


	7. Face to Face (Pt. 1)

The morning after Lizzy’s birthday, she woke up before he did. She hated waking up, but she did love the unguarded moments when he was still asleep. He never looked so relaxed and vulnerable awake, and from her vantage point on his chest, she couldn’t think of a better view in the world.

Her moment was short-lived, but not missed. William woke a few minutes after she did, tightened his arms around her and pressed his mouth very firmly to hers.

“And happy anniversary to YOU!” Laughed Lizzie when he released her. William gave her a quizzical look. 

“Today’s not our anniversary.”

“It is if you start with the full day. Besides, I refuse to let you make our anniversary about just me, it’s supposed to be about us. And I know you well enough to know that attempting to share my birthday with our anniversary would be utterly pointless,” she smirked.

“True,” he admitted, kissing her on the forehead.

“I have a present for you,” she whispered as his kisses trailed from her forehead down to her collar bone.

“Can it wait?” 

“Not really.”

“Alright, you’ve piqued my curiosity. I’ll let you up just long enough to go get it.”

“Oh, but I don’t have to go get it. It’s right here.”

“You’re still naked from last night, so I doubt it’s new lingerie.”

“No, but you’re not far off. My gift to you is that today I would like you to tell me one of your fantasies so I can make it come true.” 

William blinked a few times, then reached up and kissed her with all the passion he couldn’t quite verbalize.

“Do you have something in mind already,” Lizzie laughed, “Or would you like to think about it for a little while?” William briefly toyed with the idea of telling her he had a fantasy of getting engaged and getting his mother’s ring out of the night stand, but rejected it as not quite the style of romance he wanted to be telling his kids and grandkids about one day.

He settled on something else.

“I do have this one idea that might be…a little odd.” William’s chin drew back into his neck.

“Anything you want, William, it’s your day.”

“You’re sure?”

“Would I say I was if I wasn’t?”

“Very well, I have this...fantasy. About you...bossing me around.” 

“Bossing you around how? Like, having you cook and clean? Because that would be a little strange.” 

“It’s a bit more...intimate than that. More like taking direct care of you, things like drawing you a bubble bath, for instance, then helping you bathe.” 

“William, are you trying to tell me you have a fantasy about being my slave?” His chin drew the rest of the way into his neck.

“I might be.”

“I think we might be able to arrange that.”

“Well, Lizzy, that actually ties in perfectly with my anniversary gift to you.”

“Oh, I have so many follow up questions to that statement,” she called after him as he walked into the closet for a moment, and returned with a spa gift basket. 

“Wow,” whispered Lizzie, pulling off the bow tying the cellophane in place. It fell off to reveal the largest assortment of bath materials she had ever seen. “And here I thought I was going to be the gifting champion of the day.”

“It’s not a competition,” he laughed. “Besides, I could’ve gotten you ten of these and it still wouldn’t show you how excited I am for my present.”  
Lizzie blushed as she started to pull things out of the basket. She found multiple candles, assorted bath bombs, a sugar scrub, two kinds of lotion--one with whole flowers in it--bath salts, bubble bath, bath oil, a box of chocolates, and a face mask.

“Are you trying to spoil me?” she laughed.

“Yes.” His face betrayed absolute seriousness. She blushed again.

“Hey, hold on. I thought you thought our anniversary was yesterday?”

“I also saw your little plan coming,” he said, leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

“I think the people at the store saw you coming.” Lizzie smiled again and resumed their kiss.

Lizzie and Darcy decided to go to their Italian restaurant for lunch that day, and a long walk after, since the weather was on their side and they had no particular obligations. They ended up walking to the Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden, which was at the peak of its bloom for the year. Lizzie had never seen anything so exquisite, and William found that, despite all the time he’d spent there since childhood, the flowers were new-dyed with Lizzie’s smile.

As he watched Lizzie slowly turn and look at the stunning flowers blooming in full force around her, William slipped a hand into the pocket of his jacket, knowing that the Darcy family ring was still there. Following her dancing steps as she took photos with her phone, he screwed his courage to the sticking place once again.

“Lizzie,” he began as she climbed onto one of the benches to get an aerial shot of one of the flower beds. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Will--”

William wasn’t fast enough. When she lost her balance, when her feet slid out from under her and she crashed onto the sidewalk with a sickening “thunk” that struck him immediately as too loud. He wasn’t fast enough to catch her before her leg broke, before her head hit the bench. 

The ambulance took them to the UCSF emergency room, and the nurses took her back immediately. They did not let Darcy back with her.


	8. Face to Face (Pt. 2)

They told William that, because he was not family, he could not legally go into Lizzie’s room until everything had been checked.

This was why William had to wait an hour to get just an update on Lizzie, but was relieved to have something to do. He fought the instinct to call Gigi first and called Jane, knowing Lizzie’s family had to know, and Jane was the best person to explain it to them and keep Mrs. Bennet from panic. After explaining everything he knew so far, which wasn’t much, and telling her she didn’t need to fly out, just call her parents, he called Gigi just to feel like he was doing something productive. He told her it wasn’t necessary, but he was secretly relieved when she joined him at the hospital. When the nurse finally did come out to give them an update, it wasn’t much of an improvement.

“Mr. William Darcy?”

“Here,” both Darcy siblings called together.

“Elizabeth Bennet has woken up, and has given us permission to share her medical information with you,” she said. “I’m going to need you to come into the back office with me.” Darcy appreciated her respect for patient privacy, but was getting more and more anxious waiting for her to tell him how Lizzie was doing. Finally, they reached a small consulting room in the back.

“I’m afraid, Mr. Darcy, I don’t have a lot of information for you as of yet. However," the nurse smiled slightly, "Elizabeth tried several times to leave her bed to find you to tell you how she's doing, so we decided to update you earlier than usual.” 

“That does sound like Lizzie, yes. How is she?" he asked.

“We know she’s sprained the ankle, likely broken, but we’ve not done an x-ray yet." Her face took on a more serious expression. "The injury to her head, of course, is our first priority. We gave her a small dose of morphine to help her with the pain while we give her a CT scan and run the x-rays on her ankle, so she's pretty out of it, but feeling OK right now. That’s everything we know so far, do you have any questions?”

“Yes, when can I see her?”

“It’ll be a few hours yet on that, the machines we use are not in rooms accessible to anyone but the patient being treated and the designated staff.”

“Will she be here overnight?”

“That will depend on the results of the CT scan. If she’s got a mild concussion, it is possible they will release her today. If it’s more severe, they may prefer to keep her for observation.”

“Is there anything I can do to help? Anything at all?”

“Yes, actually. She was having trouble filling out these forms. That happens sometimes, with head trauma and severe pain, a patient can’t focus on writing out their information. When we asked if she had someone who could represent her on the forms, she said your name. She was able to sign the form to that effect. Would you be able to do that?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

William returned to the waiting room with a clipboard and about fifteen pages of forms, grateful to have something productive to do while he waited. He told Gigi she didn’t need to wait with him, but she was adamant that he didn’t need to face this alone.

Several hours and a few calls to Jane regarding Lizzie’s childhood health and family history later, another nurse came out to update them.

“William Darcy?”

“Here,” he answered alone, Gigi having fallen asleep on his shoulder.

“I have some updates on Elizabeth Bennet for you.”

“Oh, thank God,” he whispered, gently waking his sister so he could follow the nurse. “Gi, why don’t you go get us some coffee from the cafeteria?”

“If you think it’ll help.”

“It can’t hurt.” 

William followed the second nurse to the same waiting room.

“So, Elizabeth has a severe concussion,” he began. “We want to keep her overnight, but it is mostly a precautionary measure. She’s going to be out of it for a few days, and one of the side effects of this kind of injury is that she might be a little slurred in her speech. She’s also broken her ankle, and will need to have a cast put on. The good news is that it’s a clean break, so there should be no need for surgery for that, but we do want to make sure she’s using caution. She shouldn’t be putting any weight on it for a few days. In addition, the doctor’s given her a prescription for some strong painkillers, which she will want to be taking for a few weeks, and that’s going to add to her being out of it, so you should be prepared for her to behave a little oddly over the next few days. Basically, the most important thing is that someone be there to take care of her for the next week, since she’ll have a hard time taking care of herself. Will all that be possible?”

“Yes, I will be able to take care of her, and if there’s some sort of emergency she does have friends and family in the area.” 

“Excellent. Now, are you ready to go see her?”

“Yes. Wait, is there someone to tell my sister where I’ve gone?”

“I’ll have the receptionist pass it on that you’ve gone back, she can also give her Elizabeth’s room number.”

“Thank you.”

As soon as he saw Lizzie, William released all the tension that he had been carrying in his shoulders. Yes, she had several monitors hooked up to her, and an IV drip with a painkiller in it, but she was awake and she smiled when he walked into the room.

“Wiiiiiiiiiilliam. Hi.”

“Hello, Lizzie,” he replied, smiling a little. A little morphine, indeed.

“William, you’re very handsome. Like Michael Moscovitz, but like. Real. And you smell nice, too.” 

“Thank you, Lizzie. How are you feeling?”

“Oh, I feel fine, but they said I can’t get out of the bed without help. Right, Mary?” She looked up at the nurse who was filling out her information on the white board next to her bed.

“That’s right, Lizzie, now remember you promised.”

“Ok, Mary. William, isn’t Mary nice? It’s too bad she’s married, though, we could’ve introduced her to Gigi.”

“To what end, Lizzie? Gigi’s been dating that girl Harriet.” 

“Oh, right. I forgot.”

“Don’t worry, Mr...Darcy, is it? I assume so, since that’s the name she kept saying before you got here. This sort of thing happens a lot when we give out these strong painkillers. Especially with the creative types. We generally find it takes out their social filter, but it helps manage the pain, and right now that’s what’s important. At least she didn’t change languages on us, that has happened.” The thirty-ish woman chuckled.

“Thank you, Mary," he replied. "And please, call me William.”

“William not Darcy, just like Miss Lizzie not Elizabeth over here.” Mary gestured towards the bed.

“Yeah, that sounds like her. Is there anything I can do to help right now?” William always felt better when he was being productive, even if it was just filling out paperwork.

“The best thing you can do to help is stay with her, at least for a while. She’s not stopped asking for you for about three hours now" 

Mary collected her charts and left the room as William pulled one of the chairs up to Lizzie’s bed, the side without all the medical equipment. 

“William,” she whispered, running her hand through his hair.

“Yes, Lizzie?” he replied, leaning his head into her soft hand.

“Can I tell you a secret?” Lizzie looked very serious.

“Of course." He placed a gentle kiss on the palm of her hand.

“When I was five, I stole Jane’s crayons, and I told her that Lydia did it.” William wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but it wasn't this.

“What an absolute scandal.” She looked so perfectly serious that he forced himself not to laugh. 

“I knoooow, and Mom believed me. I have to tell them. Do you think they’ll ever forgive me?" She bit her lower lip and it was hard for a moment for William to remember that she had a serious head  
injury and he probably shouldn't kiss her while she was still in her hospital bed.

“I think your odds are good," he said, schooling his face into his well practiced neutral position.

“Can I tell you another secret?” she whispered, more conspiratorially this time.

“Always," he smiled.

“When I first met you, I thought you hated me, and I hated you.” William blushed a little at the reminder.

“I don’t think that’s a secret, Lizzie," he reminded her.

“Oh, right." Her head fell back on the pillow and she closed her eyes.

“And I never hated you," he added with another kiss to her hand.

“I do remember that!" she shouted, her face regaining some animation. "I remember you told me you loved me. And then I told you I hated you. Because I thought you were pretentientious.” 

“Maybe we could change the topic, Lizzie.”

“No, I have a point." She pulled her hand out of his to cup his chin and tilt his face up so he was looking at her. "I thought you were pretentioulous, and I thought you were mean to George Wickham. And  
I don’t remember how I could’ve ever thought that. Because you’re so...nice, William, you’re so nice. You saved my sister! You don’t even like my sister!”

“Yes, I do, it just took me some time to get used to her...exuberance.” He smiled with relief at the topic change. He was not fond of being reminded of the flaws in his previous behavior.

“You do like her now?" Lizzie's smile grew larger. "Aw, that’s so nice. See, you’re so nice! And you take such good care of your sister. Look, William, it’s your sister!” Gigi walked into the room holding  
two coffees, handing one off to William.

“Lizzie! You’re awake, how are you feeling?” She asked, giving her the best hug she could while navigating around her brother's chair and Lizzie's medical equipment.

“I feel fine, but they won’t let me leave!” Lizzie leaned forward and whisper-shouted, “Gigi, do you think we can sneak me out of here? No one’s looking, I think we can do it. How high up is that window?” 

“No,” William interjected. “Remember how you promised Mary you wouldn’t leave?” 

“Ah, right, Mary. Gigi needs to meet Mary! I’m sure they’d hit it off!” Lizzie reached for the remote with the 'call' button.

"Mary is straight and married, Lizzie.” William was starting to smile again, gently pulling the remote out of her hands and setting it aside.

“Oh, right. She said that,” Lizzie remembered with disappointment.

“What exactly did they give her?” Gigi whispered to William as she handed him his coffee.

“A little morphine," he explained. "She’s a real lightweight, though, so I’m not surprised she’s a little loopy. It’s been...entertaining.” 

“And who is Mary?” Gigi was clearly trying now not to laugh.

“Mary is the nurse you’re going to marry!” Lizzie shouted from the bed.

“Lizzie is convinced you’ll love her," he couldn't help but roll his eyes a little. "I can’t seem to get her to remember that Mary is married and that you’re dating Harriet Smith.” 

“I see." Gigi was now laughing openly. "Well, it’s a relief to see she seems to be feeling better."

“I think we’ll have a better idea how she’s feeling tomorrow, after the morphine’s worn off and they’ve got her on something a little lighter," he sighed. "Knowing her, I don't know how I'm going to stop her from going to work tomorrow."

“William, can I tell you another secret?” Lizzie called from the bed.

“What is it, Lizzie?” He smiled at Gigi, giving her an amused, conspiratorial look.

“You’ve got to come closer," Lizzie was trying to reach for him, so William leaned in so his face was close to hers and she tilted her chin up and placed a kiss on his cheek.

“And on that note,” Gigi laughed, “It’s getting late. Do you need me to bring you anything before I go home tonight?”

“Bring me my bubble bath!” Lizzie giggled from the bed. 

“In all seriousness, Gi, would you be able to bring me a pair of pajamas and something for both of us to wear tomorrow? Please?" William was never one to ask for help, usually, but he also didn't think 

Lizzie would want to be brought home in something unlaundered or a hospital gown.

“Sure thing. Take care, Lizzie.” Gigi smiled and moved towards the door.

“Gigi, com’ere.” When Gigi returned to her bed, Lizzie reached up her arm to wrap it around the younger girl's neck and kiss her on the cheek. “I love you, Gigi. You’re the best. My third sister.” William watched as Gigi tried to keep her face neutral, but he could see the emotions playing across her face. Gigi had wanted a sister ever since she learned what they were in preschool. She had eventually stopped asking their parents for one for Christmas, but he knew she wanted something he couldn’t quite give her, and that Lizzie, in her drug-addled haze, had just unknowingly provided. 

“I love you, too, Lizzie. Get some rest.” Gigi gave Lizzie the tightest hug she could while leaving the latter's medical equipment intact.

“God, you sound like Jane.” Gigi smiled, knowing this was one of Lizzie’s highest compliments, regardless of the tone in which it was said, and left to go collect their things before going home for the night.

After Gigi left, William called her parents with an update, reasonably sure he wouldn’t need the buffer of Jane for better news, and listened to Lizzie’s ramblings until she fell asleep. Gigi was back for a moment with their bag in about an hour, and he changed into something more comfortable and spent the night on the hard little couch under the window.

When Lizzie woke up, she was in pain. When she tried to move, she realized there were wires on her arm. When she opened her eyes and turned her head to look around her, a headache slammed into her with force, and she moaned. She tried to shift her legs, and the pain from her broken ankle hit her so hard that it made her nauseous. Thankfully, there was a bucket next to her bed.

William woke up to the sounds of Lizzie throwing up. He walked over to her bed and hit the “call” button for the nurse and asked Lizzie how she was feeling.

“Awful. What happened?” she moaned.

“What’s the last thing you remember?” he asked, brushing her hair out of her face.

“I remember we went to see those tulips, and I was taking pictures." She paused to try to remember what happened next. "Then I fell? I shouldn’t have climbed up on that bench.”

“I shouldn’t have called your name. I should’ve been closer in case you fell.”

The nurse walked back in and removed the bucket, updated Lizzie’s chart, and asked if they needed anything. Lizzie asked if she could have more painkillers, and he said he would have to check with the doctor. She turned back to William as soon as the nurse departed.

“No, William, you’re not blaming yourself. I’m the one who climbed up on the bench, I’m the one who turned around, I’m the one who fell.”

“I’m the one who wasn’t fast enough to catch you," he insisted.

“I don’t think anyone who isn’t Clark Kent would’ve been. It is not your fault I fell.” She tilted his chin up to meet his eyes.

“Maybe we just agree to disagree on this point for now,” William conceded as the doctor walked into the room.

“Elizabeth Bennet, I assume?” she asked, smiling at Lizzie.

“Yes, doctor.” As amusing as she had been last night, William was secretly glad Lizzie was feeling more subdued. It would make it easier to handle anything that came up and probably increase the odds that she would be released as soon as possible.

“And you’re the William Darcy noted in this chart as being allowed to see her medical information?”

“Yes, ma'am.”

“Excellent,” the doctor replied, turning back towards Lizzie. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“Sore," she said.

“Where?” the doctor asked.

“Head hurts, ankle hurts, stomach hurt until I cleared it.” The doctor nodded and made a few notes in her chart

“That sounds pretty standard," she answered. "We’re going to get you some crutches to take home with you and a prescription for Vicodin. It’ll make you feel a lot better, but it’s also going to make you feel a little weird. It’s a very controlled substance, so when you feel like you’re ready to switch to over the counter painkillers, please do. I’ve written up orders for a follow up visit in three weeks. It’s all in your release papers. You’re doing well, Elizabeth, we should have you out of here in about an hour.”

“Thank you, doctor,” William replied.


	9. Chapter 9

A Bottle of Red

William took a few weeks off work, ostensibly to avoid explaining his black eye to any of his employees, but his habit of hovering around Lizzie and not actually getting anything done made it pretty simple for her to extrapolate his real motivations.

A week after her return home, she was able to hobble around the house with relative efficiency, and she was no longer getting severe headaches or taking multiple naps per day. After two weeks, she finally convinced him it would be ok to return to the office. After three, she regretted sending him back, because nine hours a day alone in their apartment was a lot, especially when she had promised to rest and not do any work. After four, she surrendered to the temptation of online shopping, and was quite confident that William would like the snug black dress she purchased. After five, she got so bored that she called her mother, just to talk. Fifteen minutes of, “When will that nice young man propose to you, Lizzie,” and she was back to staring at the walls. At the end of the sixth week, she finally got her cast off. 

Lizzie convinced William that getting her cast off justified a trip to their Italian restaurant. He tried to convince her to stay home and rest, but she batted her eyelashes, bit her bottom lip, and promised to let him get an Uber for the short distance to the restaurant to keep her off her ankle.

Immediately after his concession, she locked herself in the master bathroom to get dressed. William hadn’t seen the new dress she’d purchased, since they hadn’t gone out since it was delivered. She was looking forward to seeing his reaction to the short, low-cut tight black dress with the cutout in the back. In a perfect world, she would’ve worn it with stilettos, but her ankle was still a bit sorer than she wanted to admit, so she pulled on a pair of ballet flats. She elected to compensate for her low shoes by wearing the stunning, silver, flower shaped earrings and necklace William had given her for Christmas. She gave her hair a soft curl, applied a small amount of lipstick, and carefully applied makeup just under the point of overdoing it, knowing how much he loved her eyes.

William, conversely, was already dressed, and reading a book in their bedroom. When Lizzie walked out of the bathroom, the book slid out of his hands and hit the floor as the air left his lungs. Seeing the black dress hug every curve of her body drove every thought of dinner out of his mind, and he had her backed against the wall in a moment. Lizzie’s arms were wrapped around his neck and she rose on her toes to meet his kiss, when suddenly she gasped at the return of the pain in her ankle and her legs gave out under her. William had her in his arms in a moment, silently carrying her to the bed and setting her down. 

Lizzie lifted her hand to William’s chin and tilted it up to make him look at her. She recognized the same guilt in his eyes that she’d seen in the hospital when he was blaming himself for her fall.

“William.”

“Yes, Lizzie?”

“I was the one who went onto my tiptoes. You can’t be mad at yourself for that.”

“But I know you’re still recovering, I should’ve left you alone.”

“William, listen to me. I’m the reason I hurt my ankle, you’re the reason I’m now on the bed and the reason it barely hurts anymore. You’re the reason I was able to recover for the last month and a half. You’re also the reason I bought this dress, and frankly, I would've been a bit offended if you hadn’t reacted to it. So what do you say you get me some ibuprofen and we get dinner?”

“Counteroffer: I make dinner so you don’t have to go up or down the stairs with the added benefit of no one else seeing how hot my girlfriend looks right now.”

“Compromise: We go out so I can see something other than this apartment and the doctor’s office, but I will let you carry me up and down the stairs so you won’t worry about my ankle.”

“Still leaves me the problem of other men staring at my girlfriend.”

“I guess you’ll just have to keep your arms around me so they know I’m yours.” 

With a sigh and a kiss to the back of her hand, William went to get Lizzie some ibuprofen. 

Half an hour later, Lizzie and William were seated at a small table in a softly lit corner of their Italian restaurant. Lizzie chose steak tartara piemontese, and William a hanger steak. As usual, he selected the perfect wine--a Barbaresco--to go with their food. Lizzie tried to convince him that he shouldn’t spend $200 on a bottle of wine, but he reminded her that they were celebrating her cast being removed and insisted. He also took a moment to be thankful he’d had the foresight to put the jewelry she was wearing into a more generic package than the Chanel boxes they’d come with; he’d thought they were perfect for her, and he couldn’t resist, but he knew she wouldn’t be thrilled about him spending that much on her. Not that he couldn’t afford it, of course.

Six weeks of sober involuntary lethargy had not increased Lizzie’s alcohol tolerance, and by the time they’d finished their shared slice of Ricotta cheesecake--topped with blood orange, honey, and walnut--Lizzie was getting increasingly eager for the plans she’d secretly made for the rest of the evening. William, after all, had never received his anniversary gift.

When their Uber returned them to their apartment building, William easily swept Lizzie off her feet and into his arms to carry her back up the stairs. Seeing her in the snug black dress, hearing her light, wine-induced laugh, and feeling her soft body in his arms, it was only the memory of how she’d hurt her ankle earlier that stopped him from running up the stairs and taking her in the entrance of their apartment.

As it was, he reached their doorway and set her gently on her feet, surprised when she reached for his tie and pulled him down into a passionate kiss. He continued to approach her with caution, afraid of causing her additional pain, but that played well into her plan. She broke off the kiss but retained possession of his tie, turning around and leading him into their apartment.

“Do you realize, William, you never got your anniversary present?” Lizzie asked, a sly grin spreading across her face. 

“Lizzie, are you sure? I don’t want to hurt you again.”

“I’m quite certain, William. As you recall, your present didn’t involve a lot of control on your part. Trust me to protect my own ankle.” William smiled down at Lizzie and placed a soft kiss to her lips in reply. 

“Did you have any specific requests or limitations we should talk about before start?” she asked.

“My fantasy is pretty simple, Lizzie. I want you to use me for your pleasure, and I want you to give me orders.”

“And if you don’t obey me?” William’s chin drew back into his neck, and Lizzie reached up to stroke his cheek. “William, you don’t have to be shy with me. But we do have to talk about this.”

“If I don’t obey you, I would expect...I would expect you to punish me.”

“Tell you what, William, why don’t I tell you what I have in mind, and you’ll tell me if any of it is too much or something you don’t want to do.”

“That...that sounds good.”

“Come, let’s sit down.” She led him gently to the couch by his hand, and carefully sat down so she was facing him, but not touching. They needed to focus. 

“So, we talked about your fantasy of acting as my slave. You said you wanted to take care of me and draw me a bath, but we didn’t talk about anything else. As my slave, I would expect you to draw my bath, assist me in undressing, obey my orders while I am in that bath, help me to dry, then act as a sexual slave when we return to the bedroom. I would expect you to hold off on coming until I’d given my permission for you to do so, if I choose to give you that permission. I would also expect you to address me as ‘ma’am’ until we are done. How does that sound so far?” Around the time Lizzie had said “assist me with undressing,” William had felt himself start getting hard, and had crossed his legs.

“That sounds perfect, Lizzie.”

“Nothing so far that would be too much? You’re sure?”

“Yes.” 

“Wonderful. Now, about how I would punish you if you don’t obey me. We’ve done no coming without permission before, but we’ve never withheld that permission. How would you feel about that?”

“I think that would be a good punishment, but only for more serious infractions.”

“The other option I had in mind was to spank you.” William suddenly had a vision of himself submitting to being spanked by the small, sexy, feisty woman in front of him and tried not to pull his chin back into his neck as he got a bit harder. 

“I would be...amenable to that option.” Liz

“Ok, then. One last thing. We need a safe word. One for ‘slow down’ and another for ‘stop.’ It has to be something that wouldn’t come up naturally.”

William thought for a moment, glancing around the room. His eyes landed on their CD collection.

“How about ‘Sinatra’ for slow down, and ‘Elvis’ for stop?”

“Certainly unique and unlikely to come up by itself,” Lizzie laughed. “I think we’ve covered everything, what do you think?”

“I can’t think of anything else, either.”

“Shall we begin, then?”

“I’m ready when you are...ma’am.”

“Good. Go draw me a hot bubble bath. You have ten minutes. And you better not be wearing a shirt when I get there.”

“Yes, ma’am,” William replied, standing up and heading for the master bath.

“Oh, and William?”

“Yes, ma’am?”

“Keep the suspenders.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Ten minutes later, William was standing in the bathroom, wearing only his black pants and suspenders, waiting for Lizzie.

When she walked in, she couldn’t help letting her gaze slowly meander all the way down his muscled torso before slipping off her shoes.

“Remove my dress,” she smiled.

William had a hard time controlling himself as he slowly undid the clasp at the top of her dress and lowered the zipper. He gently pushed the straps over her shoulders and let the black fabric pool at her feet, revealing his favorite black lace bra and panties set. He placed his hands on her hips and a soft kiss on the exposed skin of her shoulder.

“Did I give you permission to do that, William?”

“No, ma’am.” 

“Turn around and put your hands on the counter.”

William did as he was told, and Lizzie delivered a playful smack to his ass, allowing herself to linger and enjoy the taught muscles she could feel through his expensive Italian pants. 

“Consider that a warning and don't do it again. Now, finish undressing me. Leave the jewelry.” Lizzie quietly commanded. William turned back around and unclasped the bra, barely stopping himself from cupping her breasts in the process, wondering if it might be worth the risk. But his fantasy was to serve Lizzie, so he added her bra to the pile of clothing around her feet and slipped his fingers into the band of her panties. He knelt behind her to remove them as she stepped out of them and towards the bathtub.

Lizzie flipped her bright hair into a messy bun and slowly slid into the large tub. She sighed, enjoying the hot water and the floral scent of bubbles. William knelt by the side of her tub, enjoying the sight and awaiting her next command. 

After about five minutes of simply relaxing, Lizzie commanded William to bring her a piece of chocolate. When he returned, she very seductively opened her mouth and allowed him to feed it to her, careful to let her lips and tongue brush lightly against his fingers. She watched as his eyes darkened with lust and his breathing got more rapid.

“May I kiss you, ma’am?” he asked after she had swallowed the candy.

“Yes,” she whispered. He leaned down and brushed his lips lightly against hers, holding back all the passion he felt for fear of breaking the fantasy.

“Now, get the soap,” she whispered as the kiss broke. When he returned to his kneeling position next to her, she commanded him to bathe her, telling him not to use the washcloth. Lizzie closed her eyes and gave herself over to the sensation of his hands as they slowly washed her shoulders, her breasts, her stomach, her legs. 

Once she was cleaned far more thoroughly than was strictly needed, Lizzie sent William for the towel and slowly removed herself from the tub. He dried her off gently, almost reverently, taking the longest with her breasts and legs.

When she was satisfied with his work, she took the towel from him and hung it back on its hook. She then grabbed his suspenders and led him backwards to their bedroom.

Lizzie led him directly to the bed, sitting down on the very edge. When William made a movement as if to join her, she held her hand up to command him to stop. 

“Kneel in front of me, William.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he spoke breathlessly as he came to his knees in front of her.

“Now, I want you to start at my ankles and work your way up my legs. I want to feel your hands, your teeth, your lips, and your tongue. Make sure you’re giving equal attention to both of them.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he smiled. He pulled the uninjured ankle to his lips first, kissing, licking, and lightly nipping his way to her knee before changing legs. It was only a few moments before Lizzie was laying on the bed, her eyes closed in ecstasy at the touch of William’s mouth. He was careful not to leave any marks below her knees, knowing her fondness for dresses, but he did take the opportunity to leave his mark on her inner thighs. When he reached the top of the second leg, he couldn’t resist the urge to beg her to allow him to continue.

“Please, ma’am, may I taste you? Please,” he whispered, his voice hoarse and on the verge of desperation. 

“Yes. You may not stop until I tell you to.” Within moments of granting her permission, Lizzie’s hand was tangled in William’s thick hair, pulling it as she came in his mouth. He did not stop until she came a second time, after which Lizzie summoned enough focus to tell him to stop. She ordered him to remove the remainder of his clothing, then lie down on the bed beside her. She wrapped her hands around his wrists as she mounted him, then whispered permission to come in his ear. Rocking her hips against his, she came for the third time moments before he found release, collapsing breathless against the hard planes of his chest. He wrapped her in his arms and pressed a firm kiss to her forehead.

“Thank you, Lizzie,” he whispered into her hair. “Thank you. That was...that was so much more...so much more than I expected. I love you.”

“You are most welcome, William Darcy. I love you, too.”

“So, for our next anniversary….” Lizzie sat up and gave him a quizzical look.

“You want to wait that long to do it again?” She teased. He laughed and rolled her onto her back. 

They made love again, this time softly and gently, whispering words of love to one another, then fell asleep in a tangled mess of sheets and each others' arms.


	10. A Bottle of White

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trivia time--The wine Lizzie and William order in this chapter also makes an appearance in Shakespeare's Richard III, in which King Edward IV has his brother, George, Duke of Clarence executed, and the duke chooses to be drowned in this wine because it's the queen's favorite and he wants to ruin it for her. The historical accuracy of this is...questionable.

A Bottle of White

By the end of May, Lizzie was back to wearing heels, and William was trying to come up with an excuse to go back to their Italian restaurant. 

Fortunately for him, Jane and Bing provided the perfect excuse for a celebration by calling them to announce their engagement. They called at the same time, Bing calling William and talking so fast that he had to be told to slow down, and Jane calling Lizzie, who only understood her sister through the happy tears because of years of practice.

Unfortunately for him, he knew Lizzie well enough to know that she would not want to get engaged at the same time as her sister. As close as they were, she would not want to intrude on Jane’s moment, and she would want her own, as well. Though she probably wouldn’t mind splitting her mother’s attention.

Regardless of having to put his own plans on hold, William suggested they go out to celebrate, and Lizzie readily agreed.

Lizzie and William ordered a bottle of Malmsey Malvasia, which was a new one for both of them, to celebrate their friends. Lizzie selected a tortelli di zucca with a salad, William an agnolottini di fagiano with a side of roasted seasonal vegetables. Towards the bottom of their second bottle of Malmsey, William’s hand found its way onto Lizzie’s thigh, tracing a small pattern on her skirt. He was entranced by the way Lizzie’s face lit up when talking about her sister’s joy, and how much she was looking forward to helping her with the wedding. Even knowing it wasn’t the right time to propose, Lizzie’s happiness made him think again about the possibility of their own future. He could so easily imagine slipping her wedding band in place, so effortlessly visualize the sparkle in her eyes right before he kissed her, so simply see them dancing to an old Sinatra song that for a moment he forgot where he was.

“William? Can you hear me?” 

“I apologize, Lizzie, what were you saying?” He shook himself out of the vision.

“I was wondering where Jane and Bing would get married, where were you? You looked like you were a thousand miles away.” Lizzie reached up to run her fingers across his cheek.

“I was just...thinking about Jane and Bing.” he lied, turning his head to press a soft kiss to her palm. He could tell by the look in her eyes that she didn’t believe him, but wasn’t going to question him about it.

“I didn’t see anything on the menu sweeter than you,” he answered, kissing her hand again. “Perhaps we should skip dessert and just go home?” he suggested, moving up her wrist.

“Mmmm, perhaps we should,” she said as he slowly pressed his lips to her pulse point. He asked the waiter for the check while she ordered an Uber--this level of PDA was a sure sign from William that it would be best not to let him try to walk home.

On the ride home, he slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her over to nibble on her earlobe. She laughed as she wound her arms around his neck, and tried to keep his focus above her collar bone as he worked his way down her neck to avoid making the driver unnecessarily uncomfortable. 

When they got back into the apartment, his mouth slid from her neck to her shoulder, shifting the strap of her dress out of his way, while his hands slid down from her small waist to lift her legs around his hips. Lizzie wound her hands tightly into his dark hair, moaning as she felt his teeth against the skin of her shoulder. 

When William reached the bedroom, he deposited Lizzie on the bed and knelt on the bed above her to remove his tie. She sat up and pulled the bottom of his shirt out of his trousers and began rapidly opening the buttons. He threw his tie on the ground and started working his way down the buttons. When they met in the middle, he threw the shirt in the same general direction as his tie. His eyes rolled back in pleasure as he felt her hot tongue run across his hips; he reached for the hem of Lizzie’s now rumpled dress, and--with minimal assistance from her--tugged it over her head and threw it over his shoulder.

He returned again to her neck; now that they were audience free, he placed a quick bite to the side of her neck, gratified by the way her hips moved against him in response. Her hands slipped back into her hair and she locked her feet behind him, pulling his erection against her as he retraced his earlier path down her neck, this time dipping down to the top of the breast not covered by the white lace cup of her bra. He took his time there, carefully leaving a small mark below where he was fairly certain most of her clothing would hide it. After a few moments he looked up at Lizzie, her green eyes hazed over with lust that was just for him, and her fiery hair spread like a starburst across the sheets. 

William was tempted to propose right then, and damn the story they would tell their kids and grandkids; he just wanted to ensure they would have moments like this for the rest of his life. Then she smiled up at him, and he knew he had to focus on what they were doing, and that it would be enough for tonight.

Lizzie used the hands in his hair to pull William down into a slow kiss, eventually unwinding one and running it slowly, teasingly down his chest to begin unclasping his pants. He slid his hand behind her to begin working at the clasp of her bra; when she released him from his pants, he pulled back to kick his shoes and his pants to the floor, and she made quick work of her bra. He slowly slid her white lace underwear down her legs, placing soft, wet kisses along her thighs as he did so. They removed his boxers together, and he gently brushed her hair out of her face before kissing her again. 

“Lizzie,” he whispered, “I love you.”

“I love you, William,” she replied.

They took their time together that night; they made love like the night was never going to end and all they would ever need was each other. Maybe he didn’t get his chance to propose that night, but that night, looking into each others’ eyes and repeating whispered words and promises of love, they had their own forever. And it was more than enough; it was everything.


	11. It All Depends Upon Your Appetite

It All Depends Upon Your Appetite

It is extremely rare to get the flu in June, but William Darcy always prided himself on being able to achieve difficult things.

Including attempting to go to work with the flu.

When the alarm went off that morning, Lizzie’s first thought was that she was overheated where they were touching. Her second thought was that he looked paler than he usually did in the morning light. 

Her third was that he had slept through the alarm, which she had never once seen him do. She gently shook him awake, and he moaned as he ran his hand over his eyes.

“Oh, God, what time is it?” he rasped. 

“It’s seven o’five, are you ok? You’re warm.”

“I’m sure I’m fine. I’ll take an aspirin or something for this headache and I’ll be fine.”

“You’ve got a headache?” Lizzie stroked his bangs out of his face and discreetly checked his forehead to confirm that he had a temperature. He definitely did. He groaned a little as he got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. Lizzie let out a heavy sigh, knowing that he should not be going to work, but also knowing she was unlikely to be able to persuade him.

Until she heard a loud thunk from the bathroom.

Lizzie had just enough presence of mind to knock before entering the bathroom; she was deeply concerned, but she knew that privacy was a huge factor for both of them.

“Come in,” William half-rasped, half groaned. She pulled open the door to find him lying on the floor.

“Oh, my God. What happened, Will?” Lizzie knelt beside him and tried to check his head for injuries. Thankfully, he appeared to be fine, aside from the fall.

“Lizzie,” he replied with a cough. “I think I’m sick.”

She couldn’t help but laugh a little bit as she helped him to his feet and back to the bed. She called his secretary and his sister to let them know he wouldn’t be in for work, then she called her own assistant to tell her she was taking a personal day, despite William’s protests that she didn’t need to do that.

“One of the perks of having your own media company, William Darcy, is that you can call off basically as often as you want. I’m surprised you haven’t figured that out yet,” she informed him, getting the thermometer from the bathroom.

101.5.

“How’s your stomach feeling?” she asked.

“That’s actually the one thing that feels ok.”

“Tell me what’s wrong.”

“My head hurts, my joints hurt when I stand, my throat hurts. Is it hot in here?”

“No, Imzadi, you have a fever,” William started to laugh, but it turned into a hard cough. [1]

“Did you just call me Imzadi? The pet name from Star Trek: Next Gen?”

“Sorry, did you not know that I’m a nerd? Since your stomach is fine, what do you want for breakfast?”

“Something soft, please. The coughing made my throat worse.” 

“Scrambled eggs and hot tea with honey?”

“You’re too good to me, T’hy’la.” [2]

“And I’m considered the nerd?” Lizzie laughed as she went to start breakfast. 

Ten minutes later, she returned to their room with scrambled eggs, Earl Gray with honey, and his laptop.

“Not for work, for Netflix. You need to rest.”

“Fiiiiine.”

“Oh, Gigi was right, you do turn into a giant baby when you’re sick.”

“I do not! I didn’t when I had that cold last Christmas!”

“Colds don’t count, you don’t have a fever or joint pain with a cold. Which reminds me, I think we need to take you to the doctor.”

“Ugh, I don’t want to go to the doctor.”

“I know, Imzadi,” she teased. “How about if you’re not feeling any better tomorrow, then we go to the doctor.”

“Yes, ma’am,” she could tell by the goofy grin on his face that he had specifically chosen his phrasing to remind her of their anniversary. 

“Eat your breakfast,” she laughed. “I’ll get you some DayQuil.”

Lizzie spent the majority of her morning on her laptop doing work projects--despite the personal day--while William alternatively napped, read, or watched Netflix next to her. 

When she finally closed her laptop for the day, he put his arm around her waist and pulled her into his side.

“Will you do something for me, Lizzie?”

“Not if it involves you leaving this bed, I won’t.”

“It doesn’t. I’m just hungry. I’m dying for some of Antone’s Minestrone. Can we get takeout for dinner? Pleeeease.”

“Of course. Anything else? I’m sure some pasta wouldn’t hurt your throat.”

“No, I just want a bowl of minestrone.”

“Ok, I’ll call it in and go get it. But you better not go further than the bathroom while I’m gone. Understood?” 

“Yes, T’hy’la.” She smiled and rolled her eyes as she went to get their dinner.

When she got back, he had Netflix pulled up on the laptop and The Breakfast Club queued to play. 

Halfway through the film, both of their dinners finished, he snaked an arm around Lizzie’s waist.

“Did I ever tell you why this movie is my favorite?” William asked, trying to fight the NyQuil that Lizzie insisted he should take after dinner.

“No, I don’t think you ever have, even though we’ve probably watched it fifty times.”

“When I was little and I would get sick, my mom always stayed home from work. I never thought about how much of a sacrifice that was for her until I was an adult, but she loved working at Pemberley. But whenever Gigi or I were sick, she would take the day off to take care of us. She always made me lie down and watch a movie, but I think she knew that I would fall asleep watching it. So when I did, she turned this movie on and watched it. I would always wake up and crawl up in her lap and we watched the end together. When I got a little older, she did the same thing, but I faked falling asleep. That’s the day I finally found out how it ends.”

“That’s beautiful, William.” He nodded and layed down with his head in her lap.

“I think she knew I faked the nap, because when the movie was over, she showed me a box under her bed from when she and Dad were dating, and she had tickets to The Breakfast Club in the box. I think it was their very first date ever.”

“And that’s why this is your favorite movie?” she whispered, running her fingers through his hair and trying to encourage him to go to sleep.

“Mhmm,” he murmured, nuzzling against her leg.

“Goodnight, you sweet little nerd,” Lizzie whispered as she shifted his head onto the pillow and let the NyQuil take its course.

She closed the laptop and cleaned up dinner before crawling in beside him and going to sleep.

The next day, William felt even worse, so they took him to the doctor. He was out of the office for a week and a half. Somehow, Lizzie managed not to get it at all.

[1] Imzadi--Betazoid word meaning "beloved," Star Trek: The Next Generation  
[2] T'hy'la--Vulcan word meaning "friend, brother, or lover," Star Trek: The Motion Picture Novelization


End file.
